I was told in emergency that my finger was going to need a pin. Its a triangular oblique break and goes though the knuckle. Okay umm yikes but i’ll deal. I made the appointment with the orthopedist and a couple days later i was in the office ready for the pin ( whatever that means) well apparently what that means is more ex-rays and then i got hit with the smack down.. i needed surgery and since I’m uninsured ( hurry up Obama care!) i was going to have to pay upfront out of pocket and this was not going to be cheap. I needed actual surgery. A k-ware was needed to hold the break together while my finger mended. Of course was given the option to do nothing but that would leave me with a deformed finger and when i looked down at my hand asking myself could i live with it i started to tear up. As with most women i have some body issues but one of the things I’ve always loved about my body was my hands, i have long graceful fingers, deep nail beds and i cant tell you have many complements i get on my hands… i just could live with it as vain as that sounds, i just couldn’t. My orthopedist took pity on me and even though this is the kind of surgery he usually does under a general h said we could do it under a local to cut down on the cost of the operation. He called a plastic surgeon he know in the same building and made arrangements with him to use his operating room so i didn’t have to go to the hospital and the whole thing was going to cost me 3k upfront. just for the surgery…
When i got home i lost it, my poor better half was trying to console me to no avail. I had the 3k, it was the money I’ve been saving to buy the horse trailer I’ve been dreaming about. Ive been painstakingly and with out fail putting away money every single month to get a trailer so i could take my horse places. Now i was going to have to spend that money on surgery. Later that night i transferred the money from my savings to my checking and the next day i showed up and handed over my debit card and said good bye to my horse trailer dream. At least for now. The rest of the money in my savings account will go to the vet for Jez latest diagnostics and and to the emergency room. I haven’t gotten that bill yet, i get scared just thinking about it.
Surgery was smooth and not the horrible experience i thought i was going to be, i was awake during it and my DR even helped me take pictures of the whole thing. A decision wad made to put in 2 k-wires and not just one to make sure the bone wouldn’t slip. My hand was wrapped like a flipper and then next few days my mobility was very limited. 5 days later i was put into a smaller splint. I made a promise to my DR that i wold be a good citizen and not handle horses for a month so he agreed not to put me in a cast. I really didn’t want to be in a cast, that would make doing anything impossible. With the splint i can 2 finger type though it hurts a lot when i try. I’m thinking that will fade with a little time. At the end of the month i will get my hand numbed up and the k-wires will get pulled out with pliers. I’m sure very expensive speciality orthopedic pliers, or at least I’m sure that’s what i’ll pay for. So far the finger brake with the cost of DR visits, x-rays and surgery is close to 4k.
My advice is to make sure you have insurance before you decide to ride a wild bronc and barring that, let go of the reins when you get bucked off so they don’t get caught up and break your hand. I thought this was a lesson i already knew, seems i needed a refresher course.